We are independent and are not currently teaching but we can make recommendations on teachers in Canada, the U. S., and even in China.
We have traveled extensively and trained with most well-known “Masters” of both Tai Chi (Taiji) and Qi Gong, and we are all former ring fighters and street fighters. Does that make us the best resource for you? Only you can answer that. We do our best to be honest and non-judgemental.
As we are based on Vancouver Island our recommendations will focus on that area.
There was a man in Toronto, who’s Chen Taijji was very high level but due to a dispute with his teacher I believe he is no longer teaching.
We have found that most people searching for Taiji and Qi Gong instruction fall into three camps; healing, interest in an esoteric study, self-defense.
For all of these, the only effective arts will be Pre-Mao as Mao Tse Tung destroyed all Internal Arts during his reign.
If your instructor is post-Mao their teaching will be shallow.
We intend to write an article describing the differences between post- and pre-Mao, if it is not available yet, it will be shortly.
With all this in mind, we have very few recommendations for Canada and the U. S.
One exception is Gordon Muir who I believe is still teaching in Victoria at Goward House.
I have known Gordon for several years and can say that he is a seeker. He has spent time and money to find the best instructors and works hard at his art.
Only two people in the entirety of Canada and the U. S.? Yes, there are a lot of other instructors around but mostly they are post-Mao and not very good. It is only pre-Mao instructors that will understand this peculiar and esoteric art.
I do not have contact information for Gordon but if you Google him, or Goward House you should be able to track him down.
In China, you will have to travel to the city of Jinan and try to find Grandmaster Liu ChengDe, or his son, GuangLin, who I believe is now teaching for him.
When people talk about instructors with integrity and something solid to offer they often say, “Of proper lineage.”
You cannot find a better lineage than that of Disciples of Hong Junsheng.
Hong studied under the great Chen Fa-ke for over 15 years and then obsessively worked on his own, in Jinan, teaching and practicing for decades.
At their last meeting, Chen Fa-ke told Hong that he had ‘no empty postures’ and that ‘everything is correct’.
In the Taiji world this is almost underheard of and coming from Chen Fa-ke it means that Hong ‘had the art’. Chen Taiji had successfully been transferred to him.
This photo shows Hong Junsheng working with Chen Fa-ke’s daughter who Hong knew quite well. The two families lived together for many years.
Hong Junsheng was not that interested in forms, he was more of an Applications person. Grandmaster Liu was selected by Hong to be his Applications Instructor, a most prestigious position.
If you are lucky enough to find Liu ChengDe you will also need to be able to speak Mandarin or Shandongese.
This photo shows Grandmaster Liu ChengDe with his Bai Shr (Disciple) photo, with Hong Junsheng.
If you claim to be a Disciple of any Master but do not have a Disciple photo, or diploma, you are not a Disciple.
As with most things where people are involved there is some politics around Liu, Hong, and other disciples.
Ignore the rumours, Liu ChengDe is by far the best teacher of Taiji and Qi Gong that I and my friends have ever studied with.
